ATLANTA — Firefighters have extinguished a large fire that sparked after eight train cars derailed in Northwest Atlanta Friday morning.
It happened around 6:15 am. NewsChopper 2 flew over Chattahoochee Avenue NW and Defoor Avenue for Channel 2 Action News This Morning and saw cars off the track and fire blowing smoke into the air.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
CSX owns the railyard where this happened. No one was hurt and no evacuations were necessary in nearby neighborhoods, according to Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department.
CSX Spokesperson Sheriee Bowman said preliminary reports indicate that a Norfolk Southern train came in contact with a standing CSX train. That ruptured the fuel tank on a CSX locomotive and caused some cars carrying plastic pellets to turn over.
First Deputy Chief for Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department, James Mclemor, said the locomotive had 4,000 gallons of fuel on it, and about 1,200 burned off.
He said CSX mitigation team has contained any runoff.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Georgia high school football coach removed after 20 players baptized after practice
- Mysterious illness spreading nationwide among dogs
- 2 officers, several civilians arrested at Georgia state prisons for contraband, GDC announces
“CSX appreciates the swift action of local first responders,” CSX officials wrote to Channel 2 Action News in a statement. “Safety is our highest priority as we work to develop a recovery plan.”
Norfolk Southern confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that they are working with CSX to investigate the cause of the collision.
CSX said the cleanup steps include safe removal of any derailed cars, completing any repairs to track infrastructure, cleaning up plastic pellets and any remaining diesel fuel.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.